This blog post explores visual design technique when thinking about how to represent ideas of algorithms, data collection, capitalism and MMORPG games. I browsed Pinterest, and online, to collate a mood board of design inspiration. I aim to use this mood board to aid the development of my interface idea for Surveillance Capitalism, as I am still unsure how I want to expose the theme through an engaging way.
'Algorithm Design'
From the selection of images above, I particularly like the cramped design, how everything looks so close to together, almost chaotic scenes. I don't want to go for a matrix style design as I feel this is definitely overused when representing algorithms. I want my design to be different and unique.
If I had to pick certain traits from the images above, I like the isosceles triangle design because I feel the variety of the shape sizes gives the impression of depth in the image. I want to give this impression within my interface. I also really like the first image. It's like a static colourful look. I could take inspiration for my interface colour scheme from here.
Data Collection Art
I looked into data collection art for inspiration into design styles.
When I look at this image, I feel like the graphics on the window are trying to censor what's happening inside that boardroom, but fails to as we can clearly see the neon yellow chairs. I like this because I feel it connects well with the idea of data that shouldn't be accessible but is. I feel these gaps in the graphics represent that idea. In terms of what I could reproduce in my interface design from this image, the abstract design on the window could be used in certain elements of my interface, where data is presented.
Algorithm/Data Interface
I really enjoyed looking at these types of dashboard design. They are different from the usual design for dashboards you see. I particularly like the booth image at the 3d effect. This is something I am very interested in reproducing. I love the futuristic feel this design gives. In my interface, I would want to produce feelings of privacy being infringed, and surveillance. I fell this could be achieved through a dark aesthetic.
What do algorithms see?
This video discusses what algorithms can see, based on certain images. AI doesn't look at the world the same way humans do, therefore I felt it was important to understand what they see, so I could develop an interface which was well thought out.
Since my project takes the idea of facial recognition being applied to your social media posts to understand the subjects facial expressions, this video proved interesting in explaining how that may work, and what algorithms may see.
These may look extremely abstract, but Tom White's project takes images and AI when transforms them to represent how the AI sees it. This is very different from how facial recognition works. They are programmed to detect the muscles on our face.
HTML Testing
Johnny Thaw presented ways we could use variable fonts within our interfaces. I decided to use this technique to see how it could work with my theme of Surveillance Capitalism. The gif below shows the aesthetic look I am currently considering for the interface design.
I like the way this works. It gives the user elements of interactivity whilst I expose them to this topic. The choice of typeface does let it down a bit. The typography I wanna go for should be reminiscent of algorithms and data privacy.
Bibliography list:
Urist, J. (2015). How Data Became a New Medium for Artists. Available at: https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/05/the-rise-of-the-data-artist/392399/ (Accessed: 3 March 2020).
Verge Science. (2018). What the world looks like to an algorithm Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwcuTCfSIyI (Accessed: 3 March 2020).
Brand24. (2019). How the Facebook algorithm works | #ChiaExplains Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3Lggmm524k (Accessed: 3 March 2020).
BBC Teach. (2016). What is an algorithm? | Computer Science – How to Think Like a Computer Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McM9YCeyt_Q (Accessed: 3 March 2020).
Zach Star. (2019) The algorithm that started google. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxEkY8OScYY (Accessed: 3 March 2020).
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